Important: Share YOUR take on Living With HIV.
#247947 - 10/12/09 05:19 PM

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Hi,

There are a lot of people out there today spreading the idea that living with HIV is now just "a piece of cake", "no worse than living with diabetes", and so forth. As a result, the urgency to fund research into the development of a vaccine and the discovery of a safe and affordable cure is being lessened. Also, the importance of HIV- people being careful to stay HIV- is in effect being weakened.

So please tell YOUR STORY at the following site. You can write anonymously if you wish.

Thank you for the link! I too think it is terribly important we share our stories. I find it extraordinary the public outcry has been so muted in the face of this pandemic. I would never say living with HIV is "a piece of cake."

That said, I respectfully disagree with your assertion that comparing HIV with diabetes is a threat to HIV research. If anything it just goes to show the ignorant among us don't understand either disease.

In developed countries with affordable healthcare, both are chronic conditions that, while manageable, are not without considerable consequence and risk. In underdeveloped countries without affordable healthcare, both are deadly.

I say this knowing full well the health challenges I face as I grow older. Living with a Type-2 diabetic, I am also quite aware of their challenges. I'm honestly having a difficult time determining which of us is worse off. We both face the increased risk of some rather serious complications and possibly a shortened life span if new treatments are not developed. So yes, living with HIV is no worse than living with diabetes.

HIV research is a noble and just cause. It must be allowed to stand on its own merit. If the email hacks at the University of East Anglia teach us anything, it is exactly that. Otherwise we risk loosing valuable credibility.

with medication it's ture that people are living longer and better than befor but it is more than medication it's eating,right,exerciseing check up's saying on top of your health i mean realy taking care of your self all of these thing will play a big part and allso your state of mind is allso important to the best of luck

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